


Last First Kiss

by quicksilvrs



Series: Glory Days [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Character Development, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Gryffindor/Hufflepuff, Hufflepuff Pride, Hufflepuff main character, John Tucker Must Die - Freeform, Marauders, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Pureblood Culture (Harry Potter), Quidditch, Revenge, Scheming, Sirius Black is a Little Shit, Sister-Sister Relationship, Twins, so much drama, sorry this isnt wolfstar
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:55:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24387820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quicksilvrs/pseuds/quicksilvrs
Summary: Marissa——she prefers to be called Mare——Galloway has one goal for seventh year and it sure as shit had nothing to do with her grades. She's decided that Sirius Black needs a reckoning of sorts and, naturally, she's given herself that role.
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Sirius Black/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Glory Days [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1760995
Kudos: 6





	1. Chapter One - Family Ties

Chapter One - Family Ties 

**_MARISSA——JUST CALL HER MARE, PLEASE——GALLOWAY_ ** had quite the reputation. . . especially for a  _ Hufflepuff _ .

It actually came as quite a shock to everyone when the girl was sorted into the black and yellow house. Like, this is the same girl who tried to sell her sisters pet bunnies when they were eight, right? What is she doing in the "kind and patient" house? Even Mare doesn't think she truly belongs in that house **——** Gryffindor or Slytherin would've probably been a better fit, let's be honest. But whatever, she loves her house anyways and is very protective over her housemates  **(** well, most of them. . . _ fuck you, Jessa Macmillan!  _ **)** .

Now, going back to her reputation. She's not sure who started it, or the _exact_ reason but she's known around campus as 'The Nightmare From Hufflepuff'. At first, she was a bit _whatever_ about the nickname but, she'll admit, it's grown on her. As she said before, she doesn't know the _exact_ reasoning for it but she could come up with a few possible reasons: her passive aggressiveness towards certain people, her hatred of schoolwork, the spells that publicly backfired on her, her past romances, the permanent ban from the library she earnt. . . just to name _a_ _few_.

Being the second oldest, there was a bit of pressure to be just as ' _ amazing'  _ as her older brother, Milo. You see, Milo was exactly the son her mother wanted; smart, athletic, charming. . . all things that Mare wasn't  **(** apart from athletics, she's actually the captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. . . she has no idea  _ how _ that happened. . . she stands by her " _ Dumbledore is on crack _ " theory.  **)** Milo was a prefect and head boy  **(** her mother  _ loves  _ to remind Mare of this regularly  **)** . He was Quidditch captain  _ first _ . Milo got all O's in his NEWT's and his OWL's. . . Mare definitely did  _ not _ . Her parents still held out hope on Mares  **(** younger  **)** twin sister, Beatrice. Beatrice didn't really excel at anything but she also wasn't shit at anything either and that was good enough for their parents. And now the baby of the family, Lester, is being sent off to Hogwarts with them and Mare can just tell that her parents are praying he turns out just like Milo.  **(** Mare doesn't think he wants to and like, who can blame him? Milo is boring as fuck.  **)**

She sits in front of the vanity in her room, brushing her as slowly as possible **——** maybe this would get her out of attending her mother's stupid 'End Of Summer Ball'. Sure, Mare likes to party. . . she just likes to go to fun parties. Snobby rich people parties are not fun, take it from someone who has been attending them for her whole life.

"Marissa Belisa-Rose Galloway!" She heard her mother thundering up the stairs and it made the sixteen-year-old cringe. Mare turned her head just in time to see her bedroom door fly open. Her mother, Antoinette Galloway  **(** formerly Lovelace  **)** , stomped in, hands already placed on her hips. "Why are you not ready yet?" Antionette demanded, Mare notices the twitch in her left eye and has to force back a smirk.

Turning back to her mirror, Mare rolls her eyes, "'cause I'm not ready yet." At this, Antionette expels an annoyed huff.

"Of course you're not ready, you are doing it the  _ Muggle _ way," her mother says impatiently, her eyes glaring holes into the pink hairbrush in Mare's hand. Another eye-roll and Antionette is waving her wand at her daughter, muttering frustrated spells at her.

As Mare stands up, Antionette is given a proper look at her daughters' attire. The dress was a frilly, baby-pink dress that went up to her knees **——** her mother had had it made specifically for this event. So, the dress wasn't an issue. . . it was Mare's shoes. "What are those?" Antionette said. Mare could see her calm facade fading rapidly.

Mare coyly looked down at the white Converse Robbie Farewell, her best friend, had given her for Christmas. Playing dumb, Mare asked, "what's wrong with them?"

"They are not the shoes I picked out for you," Antionette says, sucking in a deep breath and sashaying over to Mare's closet. She snatches the pink heels Mare had tossed in there, "these are and you are going to wear them."

"No," Mare replies, attempting to walk past her mother.

But Antionette was not having this and she aggressively grabbed onto her daughter's wrist, Mare winced as she felt her long fingernails begin to dig in. "What did you just say to me?" Her mother asks lowly, her voice coming out as a growl. 

"No," Mare chokes out, her eyes watering in pain. Her old mother, the kind and loving one wouldn't do this **——** she'd never even think about acting this way. This  _ imposter _ had no problems with hurting her daughter to get her way.

"You little **——** "

"Mum, the Cresswell's and the Vance's have arrived!" Milo called from downstairs and Antionettes demeanour instantly changed.

She immediately let go of Mare and rushed to the door, not before glaring at Mare and saying: "Put these on right now and then come be a good girl and greet the guests." Mare flinched as her mother tossed the shoes at her.

Dejected, Mare picked the pink heels up and wiped her eyes. As she put them on, her eyes focused on the family portrait on the wall **——** more specifically her father.  _ I wish you were here, Dad _ . She shakes her head as memories of the funeral from three years ago begin to swirl around her mind. She didn't even have to look in the mirror to know that her eyes had turned blue.

* . °•★|•°∵ ∵°•|☆•° . *

_ " _ _ WHERE WERE YOU?"  _ Beatrice questions when she spots her twin  _ finally _ join the party, her gaze immediately softens when she notices the slight redness of her sisters' eyes. "You gotta stop provoking her, Mare. . ." Bea sighs, rubbing her sister's shoulder supportively. The younger twin hates seeing her sister like this, she misses the days when little Mare would follow their mother around the house, when she wouldn't dare say a bad thing about her. She misses the good times **——** the ones that she'll never get back.

Mare sighs, not bothering to reply. She looks around the party, the majority of the guests had arrived now and she saw way too many familiar faces. "Last night of holidays and I'm stuck at this lame party, I hate my life." She mutters and Bea rolls her eyes.

"It's not that bad, the cream-cheese is particularly good this year," Bea says, trying to sound posh.

Mare snorts. " _Wonderful_."

"Marissa, Beatrice, _what_ _a_ _delight_ ," says someone behind them and the two turn to see Orion Black, accompanied by his youngest son, Regulus smiling at them. Mare suppresses any eye roll, instead giving the pair a fake smile.

"Mr. Black, how are you?" Beatrice says, worried Mare's bad mood might make her say something offensive.

He gives Bea a smile, giving her a quick 'Good, thanks' before turning back to Mare. "I suppose you remember my son, Regulus, yes?" He says, putting an arm around the boy for emphasis, Mare notices he cringes a little.

She knows what's happening, it happens at every single party; _"Marissa, this is my amazing son, Regulus!" "Regulus, why don't you and Marissa dance?"_ It used to be with Sirius Black **(** which was even worse **)** but he ran away, and honestly? Mare respects that 'cause its what she wants to do. "Yes, I remember," she says, looking past them, trying to think up an excuse to leave.

"Mare, I've just remembered that mother wanted our help over there," Bea says, reading her sister's body language perfectly. She doesn't believe in twin telepathy, but she sometimes thinks Bea is a mind reader or something.

The pureblood witch almost lets out a sigh of relief, "oh, right! I totally forgot." She looks at the two Black men and bids them goodbye, "it was lovely catching up with you but my sister is right, we need to go help our mother."

"Ah, I see," Orion Black said thoughtfully before nudging his son forward, "why don't you go help them, Regulus? It'll give you lot a chance to catch up."

The Slytherin boy looks like a deer caught in headlights, "oh. . . I. . ."

"Go on, son," Orion claps him on the back, "I'll be with your mother if you need me," he adds before walking off.

"Great," Mare grumbles, eyeing Regulus.

Bea elbows her, "Mare!"

Regulus rolls his eyes, "don't bother. I'm not exactly happy about it either." He says and suddenly Mare feels like she's missing something.

"Happy about what, Regulus?" She asks, frowning. Her eyes flicker over to her mother, who seems to be introducing Milo to some ministry official.

His eyes widen a bit, "they haven't told you yet?"

Mare shakes her head, a bad feeling rising in her stomach. "Mother said that we are being promised to each other and that once I graduate we are going to get married. Originally, the plan was you and Sirius. . . but I'm sure you know what my brother did. . . I thought they would've told **——** "

Before Regulus can finish, Mare is pushing her way through the crowd towards her mother. Gripping onto her wrist **——** the same way her mother had earlier **——** she pulled her away from Milo and the fat ministry official. "Marissa **——** what are you doing?" Antionette chokes out, almost spilling her wine as she tries to pull her hand away.

"Were you ever gonna tell me that I'm marrying Regulus fucking Black or were you going to surprise me on my wedding day?" Mare spits out, her tone hushed as she didn't want to cause a scene. . . yet.

"Marissa, we will talk about this after," Antionette says, trying once again to break free. "And mind you're language, we have guests," she adds, looking around. Thankfully **——** for her **——** nobody was paying them attention.

"No, we aren't because I am not going to do it," Mare growls, her iris flashing red.

Before Antionette could say a word, Mare had released her wrist and was stomping up the stairs. She ignored anyone that tried to talk to her, heading straight for her bedroom and slamming the door behind her. Mare tore the stupid heels of her feet and threw them at her door, releasing a frustrated scream as she did so. **(** She's thankful that her room has an Imperturbable Charm around her room for situations just like this. **)**

Throwing herself face-first into her bed, she lets out a sob. How could her mother go behind her back like this? Antionette has done some questionable things since her husband died but this has to be an all-time low. Mare knows she's a fucking control freak but like. . . control your own fucking life! She doesn't like Regulus Black, she can barely stand to make small talk with him, let alone marry the self-proclaimed Death-Eater. Her mind wanders to Sirius Black  **(** strangely  **)** , is this what pushed him to run away? Could she do the same?

She shakes her head, of course, she couldn't. Firstly, where would she go? She has one friend, Robbie **——** she's sure he'd let her stay with his family but she wouldn't want to pressure him like that. Then there's Bea and Lester, what would happen to them? One, they would be subjected to all Antionette's expectations, anger and rage. Two, she probably wouldn't be allowed to talk to them ever again. Three, Bea would probably have to marry Regulus instead **(** or someone even worse **)**. Mare sighs, she can't leave but she just can't marry Regulus. Hell, she doesn't really want to marry anyone, she's very happy not settling down ever. She has two options now: marry Regulus **(** yuck **)** or somehow convince Antionette to call the whole thing. The second option sounds like it came straight out a fantasy and is very, very unlikely. So, it kinda looks like Mare has one option.


	2. Chapter Two - Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The long-awaited seventh year begins...

**Chapter Two - Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts**

**_THE DAY TERM STARTS IS ALWAYS A CHAOTIC ONE_ ** , it's always been like that and Mare's sure it always will be. It doesn't matter what gets done the night before, the siblings are always scrambling around the house, hunting down missing socks and school books. Even Milo, as organised as he claims to be, used to fall victim to the  _ "school's going back today" _ chaos.

Speaking of which, it was Milo's first day working at the ministry **——** Mare knew because it was all her mother had talked about for the last 24 hours. And speaking of her mother, well, her and Mare had not actually spoken since the party. . . mainly because Mare had been avoiding her like the plague.  **(** Correction: she'd allow herself to get the plague if it meant she didn't have to talk to her mother ever again.  **)** Mare will continue avoiding her until she leaves because she isn't interested in anything she has to say. Maybe, when she gets her shit together and stops being a controlling bitch, then  _ maybe _ she and Mare can talk. But that's not going to happen anytime soon, is it?

"Mare, do you have my gloves?" Asks Bea, appearing at Mares door. Mare almost laughed at the girl's appearance, her face was red and her hair was a frizzy mess. "I think Luli might've put them with your things by mistake," she adds quietly, knowing that the elf would get a thrashing if their mother heard she messed up.

Mare shrugged, "you can check if you want." Bea walked over and began anxiously rummaging through the girl's drawer. Mare turned back to her own suitcase and thanked the Lord for whatever extension charm her mother had put on it **(** only good thing she's done recently **)**.

"Ah-ha!" Bea said triumphantly, holding up her gloves before rushing out of the room.

"You're welcome, then. . ." Mare muttered, looking around her room for anything she might've missed. She notices some spare quills on her desk and quickly shoves them inside, she's not wasting her allowance on buying new ones.

Across the hallway, she could hear Lester rummaging loudly through his closet **——** whatever was making that loud banging noise was beyond her. "Bea, did you give me back my hiking boots?" The eleven-year-old called out, Mare shook her head. Hiking boots? Really? What did he think Hogwarts was like? . . . Then again, she remembers getting lost in the forbidden forest that one time in first year, hiking boots would've come in handy then.

"I don't know, probably!" Bea screamed back, a loud bang shortly following her words, "fucking hell!" Mare released a snort of laughter.

"Beatrice Ariella-Jane Galloway, watch your bloody language!" Their mother called from. . . well, Mare couldn't really tell but she sounded pissed off. **(** Hopefully, she'd stay wherever she was, though. **)**

As Mare began zipping her trunk up, a loud cracking noise flooded through her room and Luli the house-elf appeared. Mare jumped slightly before turning to smile at the poor creature, the number of times Mare had tried to clean her rags or make her some actual clothes were endless. Mare bit her lip as Luli bowed at her feet and cringed as the house-elf winced in pain——probably a new bruise from her mother yet to heal. Mare fucking hates house-elf abuse, but what can she do? She hates Mare abuse as well. "Is Miss ready for Luli to take her things downstairs?" Came her shrill, timid voice.

Mare nodded at her, offering the little elf a smile, "yes please, Luli."

Luli nodded eagerly, bowing once more. Mare watched as the house-elf gripped firmly onto the trunk, which was bigger than her and apparated it downstairs.

Grabbing the badge that gave her Quidditch captaincy of her vanity and looking around one more time **——** just in case. She walked down the hallway, sticking her head inside her siblings' rooms, they both looked like bomb sites. Clothes all over the floor, books laying open on the bed, robes messily folded on a chair. Before she could get sucked into helping either of them pack, she went downstairs to get a snack.

She entered the kitchen, noticing Milo already sitting at the counter reading the Daily Prophet. Her eyes focused on the headline on the cover and suddenly understood why he looked so distressed: _When Will This Terrorism End? Eight More Muggles Found Dead._

"If I met him, I'd totally punch this Voldemort guy in the face," she said, grabbing an apple of the bench and sitting across from him.

Milo snorted, "yeah right." He folded the paper up and looked up at her, "ready for seventh year and your NEWT's?"

"Eh," she shrugged, exams were not really that important to her. Like, yeah, she gets that they help you get a job and stuff. But knowing her mother, she won't be allowed to have one of those either.

"I got six O's, I'm sure you can get about half, maybe more if you try," Milo says, patting her shoulder. "I guess, all that matters is if you try your best or whatever the Muggles say. . ." The guy acted like he graduated ten years ago and that he had all this life experience Mare could only dream to have, when really, he graduated a year ago.

Mare rolls her eyes, hating how patronising he sounded right now. "I'm trying to win the Quidditch cup. . . you didn't manage that, right?" She says, a thin smirk on her lips.

Its Milo's turn to roll his eyes, "Yeah, good luck with that, Potters team is impossible to beat."

Mare quirked a brow at him, "yeah? Just wait for my letter saying that I won." She says, at the same time, their mother comes barrelling down the stairs **——** Lester and Bea in tow.

" **——** Just remember that the hat takes what you want into consideration," Bea was telling Lester, Mare noticed that she finally fixed her hair up. Lester's face was paler than usual as he nodded along to what she was saying **——** poor dude was starting Hogwarts this year, _must be a nervous wreck._

"Chop! Chop!" Antionette says suddenly, clapping her hands together aggressively, "I want to get this over with!" She looks over at Milo and gives him a smile, "Milo, dear, could you please take Lester and Beatrice? I'll take Marissa."

Milo nods, holding out his arms for Bea and Lester to grip onto **——** they both picked up their trunks seconds before they disappeared in a loud snap. Mare hated sidelong-apparating, she thinks its the worst and she can't wait for her birthday so she'll never have to do it again. Now that they were gone, it was just Mare and her mother standing in the kitchen.

A moment of silence passes before Antionette turns to face her eldest daughter. "Before we leave, I think that we should talk," says Antionette, placing a hand on her hip. Her hair was particularly neat today, dark hair pulled into a flawless bun.

Shaking her head and grabbing onto her trunk, Mare snatches her mother's arm, "yeah? Well, I don't. Let's go," she says shortly, not meeting her mother's hurt look.

"Marissa **——** "

"I don't want to hear it!" Mare says, some of her bottled-up rage escaping, "let's just go already."

Antionette made an annoyed clicking sound at the back of her throat before obliging. Mare's stomach felt like it was doing gymnastics as they apparated, she was sure that she might throw up. But just as quickly as it started, they were standing in the leaky cauldron. Tom, the bartender, shot them an annoyed look, "Antionette," he said shortly, looking Mare's mother up and down before going back to polishing his glasses.

Lester, Bea and Milo sat at a table, Mare noticed Milo continuously checking his watch. "Oh, there you two are!" He said, jumping out of his seat, "I thought I was going to end up being late." Their mother made a huge fuss, kissing him on both cheeks and wishing him luck with his job, saying he'll do amazing. Mare hasn't heard her mum say something that encouraging to her before.

* . °•★|•°∵ ∵°•|☆•° . *

_THERE WAS A BUSTLING, LOUD RUSH OF PEOPLE_ at Kings Cross station, but that wasn't exactly a surprise. Mare was sure this place was just as busy on Christmas day.

The Galloways stayed in a tight group as they sailed through the sea of unsuspecting Muggles. She sometimes what would happen if all Muggles knew about their existence. . . _maybe they would have a fair shot against the Death-Eaters._

"Girls, you go first," Antionette called out over the loud sounds of trains and talking.

Bea gestured for Mare to go first and she did, lifting her trunk and walking through the barrier **——** she didn't run.

As soon as she made it through the barrier, she was almost knocking someone far taller than her over. "Oof **——** shit, watch where you're going," she grumbled, looking up to meet Remus Lupin's sheepish look. He was strange, that Remus Lupin. With his scarred face and endless excuses, he was a mystery waiting to be solved. Nether-the-less, he was a decent enough bloke **——** that can't be said about his best friends, James Potter and Sirius Black. 

"Mare, I'm really sorry," Remus apologises, picking up the book he dropped. "I wasn't paying attention."

Mare shrugged, "it's whatever," she says nonchalantly as Bea appears behind her, just crossing through the barrier. Mare noticed his cheeks turn a little red as his eyes landed on Bea.

"Err. . . well, it was nice seeing you," Remus said, his voice louder. Before Mare could respond, he was running away.

Turning to Bea, Mare lets out a quiet, "weird." Bea gives her a questioning look.

Shaking her head and clearing her throat, Mare says, "I'm gonna go find Robbie, tell Mum I said good luck or whatever."

"Mare, I know you're angry but don't you think you're being a bit unreasonable?" Bea asks, always the one trying to keep the peace.

Her twin glares at her, "are you the one who has to marry weirdo-Regulus Black? Didn't think so." Mare snapped before sighing, "look, I'll see you later." And with that, Mare was off, pushing her way through the thick crowd of happy families. She heard the clock chime, _five minutes 'til take-off._

Mare pushes open a carriage door, struggling to lift her trunk up. Once inside, it's Mares mission to  **(** a **)** , find Robbie or  **(** b **)** , find an empty carriage and let Robbie find her. She strolled down the aisles, dodging magical pets and screaming children. She was one centimetre off from getting hexed by a second year,  _ git _ , she thinks as she slides open a compartment door. Inside, there's a bunch of giggly third-year girls, who start giggling more when they see her unimpressed face.  _ The Nightmare From Hufflepuff  _ is whispered by one of them as she slams the door shut **——** _ why were teenage girls so annoying? _ She asks herself.

Just as she goes to open another compartment, she's being pulled into the one behind her. She lets out a distressed  _ 'oof'  _ as she pushes into a seat. "Jesus," she says, bursting out laughing as her best friend grins at her from his seat adjacent to hers.

"Nah, just me. . . though, my grandma says I could be his blonde counterpart," he joked, running a hand through his already messy hair for emphasis.

Mare rolls her eyes at him, her smile not leaving her face. "How was your summer then?" She asks, this was one of her favourite parts of a new term: catching up on each other's lives. You see, when Mares mother found out that Robbie was a Muggle-Born, she wasn't happy and banned Mare from owling him. At first, Mare kept doing it but was just a little more sneaky. But once Antionette caught on, she started closely monitoring the owls' activity and reading the letters they wanted to send. Long story short, Mare doesn't write to anyone over the summer.

Robbie's face lights up, "it was amazing, my uncle got tickets to the Football grand final and I even got some players to sign my jersey."

"You're going to have to explain Football to me again, cause I still don't get it," Mare says, never quite being able to imagine the Muggle sport, no matter how many times Robbie explains it.

Robbie inhales deeply, "seriously, Mare? It's not that hard to understand." He shakes his head and begins giving her a dumbed-downed explanation, "two teams, one ball. Arms are not allowed to be used unless you're goal-keeper. Whichever team scores the most goals  _ wins _ ."

"But why use one ball? That sounds boring and too easy," Mare says, "and only one goal per team? Where's the challenge in that?"

Her friend shakes his head, "I'm gonna pretend you didn't say that."

As Mare is about to shoot back a retort, the door slides open and none other than James Potter and Sirius Black stick their heads inside. "Oh, sorry, didn't think anyone was in here," James says, looking disappointed. Sirius Black meets her annoyed look with a lopsided smirk.

"I thought you said this was Lily's compartment," whispers a third voice, probably Peter Pettigrew.

James' face becomes even redder as he slips away from the door, scolding Peter, "obviously it's not, Wormtail. I don't why you'd think that."

"But you said **——** "

"Let's go," James says loudly, cutting his friend off. "Padfoot, are you coming?" James asks, causing Sirius to finally break eye contact with Mare.

Giving them one last look at his grin, he says, "sorry about them," and wanders off.

"God, he's so hot," Robbie mutters, and Mare snorts, pushing through weird interaction to the back of her mind. The entire Marauders group were weirdos.

"You think everyone's hot," she counted as the train began to take off.

Robbie grins, "that's just the perks of being Bi."

Mare rolls her eyes before getting serious  **(** with an 'e' and an 'o', just so we're clear  **)** . "Speaking of which, have you told your parents yet?"

The blonde boy looks out the window and shrugs, "what's the point, anyway? There's a 50% chance I'll end up with a girl, so, what's the point of telling them?"

"Robbie. . ."

"I know! I know!" He sighs, "I _will_ do it. . . just not yet. . ."

And just as Mare goes to offer him some comforting words of wisdom, the door opens again. "Bloody hell, is everyone coming in?" She grumbles as it's revealed to be Lester.

He pokes his tongue out at her before asking, "can I sit with you guys? Please?"

"Yeah, oka **——** "

"Absolutely not."

Robbie and Lester both give her confused **(** and slightly hurt **)** looks. She merely shrugs. "Making friends on the first train-ride is a very important right of passage that can't be completed while you're in here with a couple of seventh year's. How do you think I met Robbie?" 

Lester let out a loud, frustrated huff of annoyance, "but  _ Mare. _ " He says, dragging out her name, "kids my age are scary."

"I thought kids our age were supposed to be the scary ones," says Robbie, walking past Lester to get something from the trolley lady who was making her rounds.

"I'm sorry Lester but Milo did this to Bea and I, and now it's your turn," Mare says, shooing him out of the cart.

"You're such a bitch," Lester grumbles as she slowly slides the door shut, keeping it open long enough for Robbie to reenter.

"I know," she says, smirking.

Robbie tosses her a Chocolate Frog as she sits down, "I already know this year is gonna be something else."

Mare laughs, "are you a seer, now?"

"Maybe I am," he says, waving his fingers around his head for emphasis.

* . °•★|•°∵ ∵°•|☆•° . *

_ THE GREAT HALL LOOK EXACTLY AS IT HAD LAST YEAR _ , four long tables, students of red, yellow, green or blue sitting at their respective places. The enchanted ceiling looked as amazing as ever, it illustrating a cloudless, starry night sky **——** oh, Mare wished she had this ceiling at home. The hundreds of charmed, floating candles hung in the air, somehow not dripping hot wax all over them. Empty dishes lined the long tables, with eager students staring at them expectedly.

Dumbledore sat front and centre, looking as cliche-old-wizard as it got. With his half-moon glasses and flowing beard, he looked like he crawled straight out of the pages of a Muggle fantasy novel. What was the one Robbie told her about? Lord of the Bracelets? On his left, sat Mare's least favourite teacher, Professor Slughorn. Honestly, his name was kind of perfect because he did slightly resemble a slug. The main reason Mare disliked him was because of his blatant favouritism over certain, "more influential" students. Like, don't get her started on his stupid fucking club.

Mare and Robbie took a seat beside Bea, who was talking to her friends. Noticing her sisters arrival, Bea smiled at them, "there you are!" She says before greeting Robbie.

"Lorna, Jessa," Mare says, nodding politely at her sister's friends.

Jessa, Mare's least favourite person in her house, just scowled at her while Lorna offered her a hello. There wasn't really a reason Mare hated Jessa, she just did and Jessa returned the feeling.

Just then, McGonagall lead the first-years through. Mare smiled at how tiny they all were  **(** except for this one girl who looked like she was already six-foot.  **)** She sticks her hand out and hits Lester on the back as he passes, earning an annoyed look from the kids around him. "What house do you reckon he'll end up in?" Asks Lorna, her eyes following the first years.

"Well, he has his heart set on Ravenclaw," Mare says.

Jessa looks at Mare with disgust, "as if someone that has the same DNA as you could make it into Ravenclaw," she says before adding a quick "no offence" when she noticed the look Bea gave her.

"No idea how someone as rude as you made it into the "kind" and "compassionate" house but here we are," Mare fired back, her New School-Year Resolutions flying out the window  **(** no.1 was to fight fewer people, but at this rate, she'll end up having her first fist-fight by lights out  **)** .

"Can't you both just get along?" Robbie sighs, shaking his head.

"No," they say at the same time before giving each other more dirty looks.

" **——** Galloway, Lester!" McGonagall called out and Mare immediately turned away from Jessa.

She watched as her little brother, barely five-feet tall, walk up and sit on the iconic chair. A smile adorned her lips as she watched the hat manky, old hat be placed on its head. His face paled as the hat seemed to say something in his mind before eventually calling out, "Ravenclaw!" She cheered as his tie turned blue and he let out a sigh of relief. It was a shame he wasn't in the same house as her but she was still happy for him.

* . °•★|•°∵ ∵°•|☆•° . *

_ ONCE THE PLATES WERE CLEARED _ and everyone had gained a bit of weight, Dumbledore gave his usual announcements. "Don't go in the Forbidden Forest as it is forbidden," oops, Mare has already done that. . . "Dungbombs and other Zonkos products are still banned and will be confiscated. . ." hmmm, she was safe there  **(** though, she was still mad about the 15-galleon product that got confiscated from her in fourth-year.  **)** "No magic in the corridors. . ." as if anyone followed that one. "And finally, you are here to learn but that doesn't mean you cannot have fun with learning. Actually, I believe we learn the most when we **——** " McGonagall lets out a loud cough, telling him to wrap this up. Dumbledore laughs a little before telling them to go to bed.

"First years, this way please!" One of the Hufflepuff prefects shouts and Mare and Robbie side-step her, not wanting to get caught in that mess. Mare was so grateful that she hadn't been made prefect, she wasn't interested in that kind of responsibility.

"Is it just me or was Dumbledore just not feeling his speech today?" Asks Robbie as they walk down the corridor towards the kitchen.

Mare nodded, "I was just thinking that. It probably has something to do with the latest Muggle killing. . ."

"There was another attack?" Robbie asks, shaking his head.

Mare remembers back to the paper Milo was read that morning, "yeah, eight were found dead."

"Fucking hell," he mutters as begins tapping the barrels that conceal their common room.

"Bloody hell, mate. Watch your language, there are kids around," says someone sitting on a couch near the entrance. He points to the cluster of first years listening to the prefects.

"Well, goodnight then," Mare says to Robbie.

"Night," he says, going up the stairs to his dorm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like the AO3 community doesn't enjoy OC driven stories. I don't know, I feel like 75% of the stories on here are more about canon characters and their relationships. I suck at writing pre-existing character relationships as I fear that I won't do them justice so, I leave those kinda fics to the pros. Trust me, in the early days of writing fanfic I was that kind-of writer from Romione to Bughead, I tried but it just wasn't for me. This year especially, I think I have finally started to find myself as a writer which is fun and scary (cause it means I'm one step closer to being an adult).


	3. Chapter Three - The Better Half of Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wonder twins have a disagreement over a boy.

**Chapter Three - The Better Half of Me**

**_MOTIVATION, IT WAS SOMETHING_ ** Mare had always lacked. She’d never really felt like putting in the effort for schoolwork or trying to maintain her "pureblood reputation"  **(** 'cause apparently that's important to her mum.  **)** Why put in the effort for something that wasn't 100% essential to her daily life? Most people told her that was a poor outlook to have in life and that it wouldn't get her very far in life. And maybe that was true but did she care? No, not really. 

Mare wasn't motivated for a lot of things. She wasn't motivated to study hard for her NEWT's. She wasn't even motivated enough to get out of bed in the morning. 

"Jesus Christ, Mare, you're going to miss breakfast at this rate," someone was saying as they repeatedly bashed her with a pillow. If she ignored them for long enough, they might go away and then she can go back to her dream with Mr. Handsome-Guy. Suddenly, the person tore away her blanket and she let out a surprised yelp. "Good, you're up," Bea says, tossing Mares uniform at her.

"What time is it?" She grumbles, having grown far too used to her summer sleeping schedule  **(** Midnight 'til 10am if anyone was interested  **)** . Being away from school for so long, she'd forgotten how early they were expected to get up. Honestly, forcing them to wake up this early has to be a form of child abuse, right? 

Bea, who was standing in the mirror doing her tie up, scoffed at her. "It's 8, you've got one hour to get ready, have breakfast and get to class," she says, picking up her book-bag and heading for the door. Before she leaves though, she turns to look at her twin who'd already begun to pull her blankets back over herself. "I'm not leaving until I see you get out of bed."

Mare groaned at her before sliding  **(** not-so-gracefully  **)** out of her four-poster bed. "Happy?" She asked bitterly, scowling at her sister.

"Go get your uniform," Bea directs her, leaning against the doorframe.

The older twin rolls her eyes, picking her wand up off her vanity and muttering a quick "Accio" spell. She raised a brow that said "anything else?" as the clothes landed neatly in her hands. Bea huffed, shaking her head before bidding her sister goodbye  **(** not before reminding her again to hurry up.  **)**

Mares not going to lie, the thought of bunking her first lessons  _ did _ cross her mind a few times. That was until she received her timetable at breakfast and saw  _ what _ her first lesson was: Transfiguration. Mare has a love-hate relationship with this class. On the one hand, it's pretty interesting and mostly fun,  **(** when they're doing practical work  **)** . Though, some of their lessons probably aren't that practical in a "will I ever use this outside of school sense?"  **(** Seriously though, when will she need to turn a rat into a teacup?  **)** But on the other hand, Transfiguration can also be quite dull **——** especially with the endless homework their teacher, McGonagall, likes to set. That brings us to Mares third point: Minerva McGonagall. That woman scared the absolute shit out of Mare, and Minnie knows it, too. This is the only teacher Mare wouldn't dare cross  **(** not even her own head of house gets that kind of treatment from Mare  **)** .

"They'll probably take away your Quidditch captaincy if you bunk on the first day," Robbie tells her as they walk very slowly to Charms.

Mare sighs loudly, yet another reason why she has to go to bloody class. She hates first day lessons, it's all theoretical work and introductory bullshit. "I know," she sighs, walking into the dimly lit classroom as Robbie held the door open for her. She groans loudly as she takes a seat in the back row, noticing that they shared this class with the Gryffindors **——** more specifically, The Marauders. She wasn't looking to get a headache this early in the morning. . . 

Robbie, on the other hand, sighed dreamily as he watched James Potter and Sirius Black take a seat in the front row  **(** as instructed by McGonagall so she could "keep a close eye on them," to which James Potter had feigned offence.  **)**

The class went on, boring as she expected it to be, "this is what we are doing," _blah blah blah_ , "pay close attention," blah blah blah, "it is crucial that you," _Blah. Blah. Blah._

About thirty minutes into class, Potter and Black were already on their final warning, which surprised Mare. Surely these two would've been yelled at already? Maybe being Head-Boy was changing Potter for the good **(** the same can't be said for Black, though, he still had no responsibilities **)**. Mare still has no clue how Potter managed to be Head-Boy; she's said it once and she'll say it again: Dumbledore is on crack. 

"Black, Potter," she warned in her thick Scottish accent. The duo immediately straightened in their seats, sending her innocent grins. Mare couldn't tell what they were doing wrong, she was sitting too far back. 

As the minutes ticked by, Mare started to get even more bored **——** did McGonagall really expect them to remember all this bullshit? When she turned around to draw a diagram on the board, Mare passed a note to Robbie: ‘ _ This is so fucking boring!’ _

Robbie shook his head at her before scribbling down a messy response: ‘ _ it is a bit dull. . .’  _ Reading his words and watching his facial expression, Mare could tell he felt a bit bad for saying this. 

‘ _ A bit? Understatement of the century!’  _ She wrote back, looking up at the board when she felt McGonagall’s eyes on her. At least now, it looked like she was taking notes or something. 

Robbie scoffed at her words,  _ ‘Some of its interesting, like the stuff about early Transfiguring is pretty cool. I always assumed it was something that Wizards always knew how to do but hearing about its origins is pretty wicked.’  _

_ 'Dude, are you trying to put me to sleep?’ _ She writes, before drawing a crude comic strip about someone literally dying of boredom because of theory work. Robbie let out a loud laugh as he read it, earning a glare from McGonagall. At the same time, James and Sirius’ game of exploding snap made a loud noise. 

“That its,” she snapped as all the student’s eyes focused on her. “Accio parchment. Accio exploding snap.” Mares stomach dropped as the parchment they had been writing on floated through the air. She watched, cheeks turning red, as McGonagall skimmed the paper with a frown. Looking up, she met hers and Robbies worried looks, “bored, are you? Black, Farwell, swap seats,” she said, both boys looking like deer stuck in headlights. “Let’s see how bored you are now, hurry up.”

Mare whispered a ‘sorry’ to Robbie as he gathered all his things up and did the walk of shame up to the front of the room. She watched as he passed Black and slumped down beside Potter, who was pouting at his own friend. 

“Is this seat taken?” Black asked casually as he approached her, causing Mare to raise a brow at him. He merely grinned at her before sitting down. She stared at him for a moment, realising that they had never been this close to each other  **(** besides in Quidditch matches or the few awkward dances they shared at Pureblood parties a few years back.  **)** Now, she’s not saying he is the most gorgeous boy ever **——** she’s definitely seen hotter **——** but she definitely understands why every girl in their year seems to throw themselves at him. With his shoulder-length, curly black hair, piercing eyes and sharp jawline, it was hard not to be at least somewhat attracted to him. 

As if he sensed her looking at him, he turned to grin at her. “Like something you see?” He asked in that arrogant  _ ‘I know I am hot, what are you gonna do about it?’  _ tone teenage boys use. Her cheeks turned slightly pink as she quickly looked away from him. 

McGonagall hesitated, watching all four of them closely before continuing her lesson. Mare and Sirius didn’t say anything else to each other, though, she could feel him looking over at her every few moments. 

* . °•★|•°∵ ∵°•|☆•° . *

_ THE GREAT HALL WAS TOO BASIC  _ for lunch, so Robbie and Mare usually took some food and ate outside. In second-year, they had claimed the oak tree by the water fountain in the courtyard as theirs. Mare had scared many first-years away from it over the years. Robbie always says that he wouldn’t mind sharing with them, but that’s just the Helga Hufflepuff in him speaking loudly. When Mare was sorted into the “pushover” house, she decided that she was going to break the stereotype. Yeah, Hufflepuffs can be compassionate and shit without getting walked all over. 

The weather was lovely today, the sun was hanging high above them as it shone brightly, still thinking it was summer. The leaves on the tree were still bright green, with only a handful already turning red in preparation for the winter. There was only a handful of clouds fogging up the blue sky. 

“I can’t believe I’m stuck beside Sirius Black for the rest of the year,” Mare sighed, “at least give me Potter so I can trick him into giving me all his Quidditch weaknesses.” She was resting her head in a tree-root, her dark hair sprawled out around her as she stared at a birds nest in the tree. 

Robbie rolled his eyes, “well, you wouldn’t be stuck next to him if you hadn’t been passing me notes,” he reminded her, biting into his ham sandwich. 

Mare lifted her head up enough to glare at him, “you’re the one who laughed and got us caught!” 

“What are we talking about?” Asks Bea, who had approached them with her two friends. Mare immediately shot Jessa a glare, thinking up some sort of insult for her freshly dyed red hair  **(** seriously, who purposefully dies their hair red?  **)**

Robbie explains what had happened in Transfiguration as Bea and co. sit on the ground beside them. As he finishes, he looks at Mare with a shit-eating grin, “but hey, look on the bright side: Black couldn’t stop checking you out the whole time.” 

Mare made a gagging noise as Bea quietly said, “I don’t think he was. . .” 

Robbie shook his head, dismissing Bea’s comment, “no way, he totally was **——** tell them how flirty he was whenever he spoke to you.” 

She repeated what he said, hoping  **(** for once  **)** that Bea was right and he wasn’t flirting with her. She really doesn’t want to have to deal with that. “I wouldn’t really call it flirty, isn’t that just his personality?” 

“He wasn’t **——** he couldn’t be flirting with you. . .” Bea mumbles, almost like she was trying to convince herself on the matter. 

They all looked at her, confused. “Why not, Bea? It really sounds like he was,” asked Lorna, shoving some dark curls out of her face. 

Bea refused to meet any of their gazes, opting to stare at a leaf that had fallen in front of her. Mare sat up, wanting to hear this. “Well?” Jessa prompted, looking annoyed. 

The Hufflepuff girl bit her lip as if thinking her words over with extreme precision. “Well, you see, Sirius **——** ” **(** _Sirius? Since when were they on a first-name basis?_ **)** “ **——** and I have kinda been. . . dating? Since the end of last year. . .” She confesses, cringing as everyone shows their shock in different ways: Robbie choking on his sandwich, Lorna’s jaw-dropping, Jessa’s gasp and Mare’s silence. 

“Just so we’re 100% clear, you’re dating  _ the  _ Sirius Black? Gryffindor chaser and vice-captain to James Potter? Surely you’ve confused him with some other Sirius. . .” Robbie rambled, baffled by this sudden revelation. Suddenly, he wished Hogwarts had a school gossip magazine that he could write about this in; HEADLINE:  _ Beatrice Galloway Spills On Secret Affair With Sirius Black _ , written by Robbie Farwell  **(** New York Times Best Seller.  **)**

Bea nodded, surprised at how they were taking this. Was it so hard to believe a guy like Sirius would be into her? “Yeah, but we wanted to keep it a secret. . . ‘cause you know. . . he’s disowned and Mother would go mental if she found out. . .” As much as Mare would enjoy someone else getting screamed at by their mother, Mare immediately  **(** sorta  **)** understood. 

“Why would Black agree to a secret relationship? From what I’ve seen, he loves to brag about that shit,” Mare says, frowning. She couldn’t believe Bea hadn’t told her about this **——** they usually told each other everything. 

Getting annoyed, Bea stood up, “why don’t you guys believe me? Is it so hard to believe that a boy likes  _ me  _ for once? As much as you think it does, the world doesn’t revolve around you, Mare. Boys are allowed to like me and not you.” 

“ _ Excuse me? _ You think that’s what I think?” Mare scoffed, standing up as well so that they were eye-level. Mare had no idea where this was coming from, her and Bea never fought **——** they were usually the perfect sister’s everyone wanted to be. 

“I know that’s exactly what you think **——** _ ’Oh, poor me, I have to marry this perfectly nice and respectable boy. My life is  _ sooooo  _ hard! I can’t believe my mother cares about my future that she’d set me up with someone that’ll take care of me! I can’t believe people really think I’m The Nightmare From Hufflepuff _ **——** _ where did they even get that idea from? Maybe it was from this dumbass thing I did. . . or maybe this one?’  _ Do you realise how annoying you sound?” Bea snapped, “I’ve tried to be the good little sister who listens to all your stupid problems. I’ve let myself be second-best to you **——** even though I’m the one who gets good grades. I’m the one who tries so fucking hard. At the end of the day, I’m just the nice one!” She inhaled deeply, glaring sharply at her sister, waiting for her reply. 

Mare stood there, her mouth hung open in shock. “W **——** where has this come from? You were fine with me, like, ten minutes ago.”

Bea shrugged, “I’m sick of not being your equal **——** the other twin.”

“Bea, what do you mean? You  _ are  _ my fucking equal, we are bloody twins!” She thought for a second before saying, “and what is this bullshit about being in  _ my  _ shadow? Have you forgotten how our mother treats me compared to you? You can do no wrong in her eyes **——** me, on the other hand? I fucking breathe wrong in her books.” 

Bea shook her head, done with this conversation. “Whatever.” She turned to look at her friends, “I’ll see you guys later.” And with that, she turned on her heel and strode. 

“Fine. Be like that!” Mare called out after her, “don’t fucking expect to cry on my shoulder when he hurts you and he will!” 

* . °•★|•°∵ ∵°•|☆•° . *

_ MAYBE SIRIUS BLACK WAS A WOMANISER _ . But so what? There were plenty of womanisers that are doing just fine. . . he can’t give any examples as he doesn’t know that much about Pop Culture but he’s sure that his statement is true. 

Anyways, he was a battered and broken sixteen-year-old boy, he was entitled to have a little fun, right? Well, that’s how it had started. But, as it turns out, having four secret girlfriends is more stressful than fun. One wrong step and he could screw all four relationships up. 

“Mate, are you even listening to a word I’m saying?” Asks Sirius’ best friend, James Potter. Sirius looks up just in time to see James run a hand through his already messy hair. 

“Huh? Sorry, mate I zoned out. . .” 

“Yeah, we noticed,” Remus Lupin snickered, looking up from his book to smirk at Sirius. 

The dark-haired wizards rolled his eyes, tossing a throw-pillow at his friend. His eyes absently looked at the clock, causing him to do a double-take. “Shit!” He quickly jumps up from his seat, causing his friends to laugh harder. 

“Better not leave Collete waiting, she’ll have your balls if you do,” James said, laughing harder. 

“I thought Collete was Wednesdays?” Remus questioned, smirking. 

“Yeah, aren’t Mondays for Dawn?” Peter asked, also laughing at his friend. 

“No, today is Bea’s-day **——** you’d think Mondays would be for Mila, it’d make it easier to remember,” James responded, earning a punch in the arm from Sirius as he passed.

“I hate you all!” He called as he sprinted out of the common room. 

He almost crashed right into Bea, who had been arguing with the Fat Lady before Sirius arrived. “Bea? What are you doing here? I was just coming to see you. . .” He muttered, frowning as he noticed the tears on her cheeks. 

“I know,”  _ sniffle.  _ “But I couldn’t wait.” 

He checked around them nervously as he lead her into an empty classroom **——** not exactly ideal, but it’d do. “What’s wrong?” He put a hand on her cheeks, trying to soothe her. A small part of him worried that she’d found out and was here to break up with him  **(** wouldn’t be the worst thing ever, he supposes.  **)**

“Mare and I, we had a fight about. . . well, about  _ you _ ,” Bea chokes out before sobbing again. 

“About. . .  _ me _ ?” He repeated, confused and worried **——** had Bea spilled the beans? He thought back to Transfiguration that morning, Galloway had seemed normal to him. 

“Well, I accidentally told my friends about us **——** don’t worry, they won’t tell anyone,” she adds quickly, noticing his panicked expression. “I only told them ‘cause Robbie kept saying you were flirting with Mare in Transfiguration and I got jealous. . .” Sirius tried to keep his face neutral because he kinda had been flirting with Mare  _ but _ he flirts with everyone so that can’t be held against him. 

“Anyways, nobody really believed me and Mare said it was weird that you’d agree to a secret relationship and that you’d hurt me or something,” she rambled before looking up at him with painful earnestness. “But I know you won’t. . . I trust you, Sirius.” Before he could do or say anything, she was pulling him in for a kiss. 

_ You’re such an asshole, Sirius.  _ His mind screamed at him as her fingers became tangled in his hair,  _ such a fucking asshole.  _ Alarm bells rang out in his mind as her fingers trailed down his torso, reaching his belt with innocent hesitance. 

“I don’t think you wanna do this here,” he whispered to her, guiding her hands back up to his shoulders. 

Her eyes met him, a million emotions swam in those brown iris’ as she stared at him with so much intensity. “How do you know what I want?” She whispered, leaning into his ear and sending shivers up his spine. He wondered how exactly he’d ended up with the most innocent girl, doing not-so-innocent things. One thing he knew for sure: this couldn’t go on any longer. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These chapters always felt way longer when I post them on Wattpad lmao. I've always felt really iffy about this chapter - is it too early to start the main conflicts of this story? But oh well, its happened now and if I end up hating it by the end, I can always go ahead and edit this.

**Author's Note:**

> God, I love Mare :)


End file.
